Radium Girls by Kate Moore Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) During WWI a number of young women worked in factories as dial painters – using radium paint to illuminate the numbers and dials of wristwatches and console panels. They did not know then that radium was harmful. Over time, these women developed terrible and debilitating illnesses, many of which proved to be fatal. Those that sought medical assistance were often misdiagnosed and all … Read more
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung Biography Graphic Novel Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Debbie Tung is an introvert who likes to spend time alone with books and tea and other comforting rituals. She gets run down quickly when she has to spend time with other people – social interactions and casual gatherings can be hard for her. Before she learned that there was an introverted personality … Read more
I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton Jackson Biography Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) This book was about a young Jewish girl trying to survive the Holocaust. It tells of the horrors that went on and gives a first-person, inside view of everything that went on while she was there with her mother. This book reminds us of how horrible man can be.
I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda (w/Liz Welch) Autobiography Biography Memoir Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) When Caitlin was 12, she was given the opportunity to choose a pen pal from another country. She picked Zimbabwe because it sounded “like the beginning of an adventure.” She and her pen pal, Martin Ganda, began exchanging letters, and over the years became best friends despite the many miles between them … Read more
Crossing Niagara by Matt Tavares Biography Nonfiction Picture book Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Crossing Niagara is a nonfiction story about a guy named (called) Great Blondin. He crossed Niagara on a 3 inch wide rope and never fell. He did many tricks, including carrying a man on his back and standing on a chair. He finally left Niagara because he felt there was nothing left to accomplish.
How to Be a Bawse by Lilly Singh Autobiography Biography Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Lilly gave very inspirational stories about success and become a great person. I liked it because she helped people with anxiety and depression. She is also very relatable.
Who Was Rosa Parks? by Yona Zeldis McDonough Biography Juvenile Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Rosa Parks was an amazing woman who stood up for what she believed in. One day when she was on a bus, the bus driver told her to move to give her seat to another man on the bus. Rosa Parks replied, “NO.” So the bus driver called the police. She was put in jail not … Read more
Who Was Joan of Arc? by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso Biography Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) When Joan was a young girl she got a vision that she would lead an army into battle and would win. Joan thought it was impossible…Later she was leading the army into battle. She got another vision saying she would be hit with an arrow during battle. And she was hit with an arrow … Read more
The Disaster Diaries by Sam Sheridan Nonfiction * Star (A waste of time!) The book was supposed to be a self-help book on survival, but I learned nothing from it. The author only told stories about being in the Merchant Marines. He traveled the world to “learn” but all he did was spend a lot of money to learn how to steal cars. He also was rude to almost everyone.
Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate Nonfiction Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) Annette LeBlanc Cate is an enthusiastic amateur bird-watcher who shares her passion for our feathered friends with a young audience in this introduction to bird-watching. Using goofy cartoon birds (who have something to say about EVERYTHING) she explains how to find and identify birds, how field guides work, how birds are classified, and much, much … Read more